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10 Delicious Fourth of July Cocktails

This year the calendar gods have granted us with one of the best holiday-weekend combinations: the Fourth of July is on a Saturday. What's more 'merica than the weekend? Not much, but a strong contender would have to be themed cocktails, so let's UNITE the two for a powerful STATEment on the celebration of freedom! Here's ten drinks that'll help you earn your stars and stripes.* Have a safe and fun Fourth of July, and remember to drink responsibly!
*Most of these recipes call for simple syrup. To make it, mix one part sugar, one part water, heat it up in a saucepan to boil, and then remove from heat, and put it in some container. I've used an old olive oil bottle.

LIST

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1 - Honey White and Blue

This cocktail has a classy simplicity about it yet still a fun preparation. Its subtly will certainly match the coolness of the person holding it. All you need is:
2 oz. honey flavored whiskey
1 oz. blue curaçao
2 oz. white cranberry juice
½ oz. lime juice
1 strawberry
Shake the whiskey and the juices together and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Slowly add the blue curaçao; pouring it against the inside of the glass will allow it to flow to the bottom. Garnish with a strawberry and you have an attractive drink that is deceivingly strong.

3 - Cucumber Margarita

We love margaritas in America. This drink will prove to be refreshing, and when you're done you can put the cucumbers on your eyes! Why not! Use a mason jar because everything is more fun drunk out of a mason jar. And stick some salt around that rim, it's freaking America's birthday! What you need:
2½ oz. cucumber-infused tequila
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1 cucumber slice
Mix the tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup with a bunch of ice in a shaker. Fill the mason jar (or whatever, lesser container you must use) with ice and the drink mix, garnishing with the cucumber slice. Wanna go for more badassery? Replace the cucumber and the cucumber-infused tequila with your favorite spicy pepper (habañero, jalapeño, etc) and tequila infused with it (potentially may need to be made at home). You'll be lighting your firecrackers with your breath in no time!

4 - The All American

This patriotic drink looks to be a sugary one, but is surprisingly liquor-filled. It calls for:
1¼ oz. raspberry-flavored vodka
¼ oz. blue curaçao
½ oz. sweet and sour
Simple syrup to taste
1 cherry
Mix all the ingredients and garnish with the cherry. Quick and simple! Just how Americans like it.

5 - Silver Gin Fizz

Supposedly this drink tastes like lemon sherbet. And it has gin in it. This sounds like a perfect drink . . .Okay I need to quit drooling over this and give ya the ingredients:
2 oz. gin
1 oz. lemon juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
1 egg white
2 oz. club soda
Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker; then, add the egg white. Shake the mixture well, add ice, and shake again. Strain the drink into a glass without ice, and top off with the club soda. This drink sounds like a refreshing summertime favorite!

6 - Red, White & Blueberry

This drink is fruity and hard, which basically sums up every American in my opinion. Here's what you put in:
4 oz. bourbon
2 oz. lime juice
2 oz. lemon juice
4 oz. orange juice
1 oz. simple syrup
4 mint leaves
Club soda
Fruits: raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries
Shake the juices, the bourbon and the syrup with ice and the mint leaves. Pour on ice, give it a splash of club soda, and garnish with all the fruits and more mint leaves, if desired. Boom. And remember, when you leave those fruits soaking in there, they become powerful little liquor-packed bites; like adult fruit snacks. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

7 - Melon Punch

Whenever I go to the store in the summer, I always end up coming home with, like, three huge watermelons, thinking “It's summertime! I'm adventurous and spontaneous! Let's eat a shit ton of watermelon that we have to cut ourselves!” If you find yourself in this situation as well, or just really like watermelon, this pitcher mix will be a perfect addition to your Fourth. Check it:
4 oz. simple syrup
1 lb diced seedless watermelon (or seeded if you live on the wild side)
2 oz. lime juice
1¾ cups blueberries
¾ cup mint leaves
10 oz. silver tequila
Blender
Fine mesh strainer
Puree the watermelon in the blender til it's as smooth as Bruno Mars in a pink suit, and strain the mush through the fine mesh strainer into a bowl; then throw out the pulp. Combine the mint, blueberries, lime juice and simple syrup in a large pitcher, muddling the blueberries and mint. Then add the tequila and watermelon juice and chill—the mixture, not you (well you can if you want; it's freaking Independence Day! Do what you want! Freedom!)—for a couple hours. When serving, garnish with more blueberries and mint as desired. This drink sounds like something I could drink forever lounging poolside.

8 - Rosé the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter was an American hero, a role model for many, and also had a super cool name. This liquid homage to that patriotic woman will definitely get you feeling proud, and after a few you'll be seeing some stars and stripes. This recipe requires quite a trip to the liquor store:
1½ oz. gin
½ oz. pomegranate liqueur
¼ oz. honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water—let the honey dissolve in the water; do not heat)
3 oz. dry rosé
1 slice of lime
Combine all the liquids and shake with ice, pour and garnish with the lime. A simple drink for so many ingredients! And delicious, too.

9 - Firecracker

This little shooter wears its name well—it may not look big but it sure ends with a bang! Show off your bartending skills to your friends as you layer the shot with three different ingredients:
1 part grenadine
1 part blue-colored vodka
1 part coconut flavored vodka
It's a shot! Just layer the liquors then drink them! Yum! Now make another one!

10 - Martha Washington Punch Cocktail

Guys. Guys. … Guys. Martha Washington created this punch cocktail. President George Washington had his own rye whiskey distillery so it makes sense that Martha had plenty to work with as a mixologist—I'm sure their liquor cabinet was never bare. Here's the most historic ingredients list EVER:
9 oz. gold rum
12 oz. spiced rum
6 oz. orange-flavored cognac liqueur (basically Grand Marnier) or orange curaçao
9 oz. lemon juice
9 oz. orange juice
9 oz. simple syrup
6 oz. club soda
Nutmeg
1 orange
1 lemon
Mix everything but the club soda in a large pitcher. Refrigerate the mixture, and when ready to serve, fill a punch bowl with large ice cubes and add the mixture and the club soda. Stir it up (little darlin'.) Garnish the punch or the drinks with orange and lemon wheels and grated nutmeg. Enjoy as you feel so damn American.